Autographic register



Jan. 7, 1958 c. H. DlETZ ETAL AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Feb. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. CHARLES H. DEITZ JOHN H. KRQEMER fimw United States $819,071 AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Application February 4, 1955, Serial No. 486,255 8 Claims. (CI. 27.1-12.4)

forms may be brought to and ejected from a writing position on such table.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of autographic registers, whereby such registers may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a Wide variety of applications, and be unlikelyto get out of order.

A further object of the invention is to supply, in machines of the class described, an integrated power assembly installed in and removable from the machine asa unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide for simplified installation and removal of the integrated power unit, it being proposed to utilize a single releasable screw member to hold such unit in mounted, position.

A further object of the invention is to make the power unit of such compact design that it can be installed in register cabinets no larger than those formerly used for hand operated machines.

Still another object of the invention is to adapt the strip feeding apparatus for hand operation as an alternative or supplement to motor operation.

A further object of the strip feeding unit in an autographic register possessing With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described'or illustrated in the accompany drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessary the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of an autographic register having a power unit installed therein in accordance with the illustrated form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in exploded perspective, showing the mode of attachment and detachment of the handle provided for hand operation of the strip feeding apparatus.

Like, parts are indicated bysimilar characters of reference. throughout the several views.

,Referring to thedrawing, an autographic register in accordance with 'the illustrative embodiment ofthe invention comprises stationary outer side frames and 11 and an inner frame support 12 for a longitudinally extending writing table 13. Record strip material is advanced over the table 13 from one end thereof and is marginally perforated for engagement with laterally spaced apart pin wheel devices 14 and 15 made fast on a transversely extending shaft 16. The opposite ends of the shaft 16 are suitably journaled in respective side frames 10 and 11. To advance the record strip material over the table 13, the shaft 16 is rotated whereby correspondingly to rotate the pin wheel devices 14 and 15 and so cause the projecting pins thereon successively to engage. perforations in the strip and thus positively to move the strip over the writing table. Rotation of the shaft 16 is an intermittent, operator initiated, movement and the extent of rotation is determined by the amount of strip movement required to bring one record form on the strip into writing position on the table 13 while the immediately preceding form is ejected from or issued from the machine. In the case of the so-called full lengthform one full revolution of the shaft: 16 achieves the desired advancement of the strip. In the case of forms of one-third or one-half the length of full length forms each operation of the shaft 16 involves a corof one complete turn thereof.

shaft 16 is a gear 17 adapted to be to an integrated power unit. At its ends the shaft 16 extends through and beyond the tapped recess 18 adapted to receive a threaded stud 19 on a handle 21. The handle 21 normally is detached from theshaft 16. To put it in use, however, it is necessary merely to insert the stud 19 in the recess 18 and rotate the handle in a direction to cause the stud fully continued rotary motion of the handle being effective to turn the shaft 16. The handle 21 is, of course, detached from the machine by rotary motion in an opposite direction eifective to withdraw the stud 19 from the recess 18. Through the handle 21, the machine can be manually operated in the event of power failure or when for any reason it may be necessary or desirable to operate the register by hand.

The above mentioned integrated power unit is mounted on a plate 22 in turn releasably secured to the side frame 11 in a manner later to be described. The plate 22 is in portion 23, as by screws portion 23 by the screws port 26 having a portion 25. Also secured to the bracket 25 is a supplemental angle supend of a shaft 37 having a bearing in a bearing boss member 38 on the side of plate 22. The shaft 37 extends through and beyond the plate 22. On such projecting end is a gear 39 secured to the shaft through a pinned hub 41.

the motor 24 to the shaft 16 whereby energizing of the motor will result in rotation of the shaft and of the strip feeding devices thereon.

The pawl 35 is formed with a shoulder 44 engageable by a lip 45 on a latch-lever 46 mounted on astud 47 on the plate 22 for relative rocking and longitudinal sliding motions. The lip45 is at one end of the latch-lever 46. The other end thereof is connected to a spring 48 anchored to the plate 22 in a manner to urge the element 46 in a compound leftward and counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, motion in the latter sense serving to place the lip 45 in the path of movement of the shoulder 44 on pawl 35. The described other end of the latch-lever 46 is formed with a finger 49 engageable with the actuating leaf 51 of a microswitch 52 which, it will be understood, is effective to open and close an energizing circuit through the motor 24. The switch 52 is of the normally closed kind and when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig.2, with the latch-lever 46 engaged by pawl 35 and pulled thereby in a forward'or righthand direction as seen in Fig. 2, the leaf member 51 and switch plunger actuated thereby are depressed to open the switch 52 and thereby hold open a circuit through motor 24. The motor 24 thus is idle when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 2. The parts are released for operation by a key 53 slidably mounted on the side of plate 22 and extending upwardly in the machine at its one end where it is formed with an overturned finger piece portion 54. A cover 55 on the register has an opening 56 through which the finger portion 54 is accessible for manual depression of the key 53. On the side of the key 53 and in overlying relation to the latch-lever 46 is a bell crank lever 57. A spring 58 is attached to one arm of the lever 57 and urges the lever in a clockwise direction to limit against a stop 59. So positioned, the other arm of the lever 57 presents a laterally projecting portion 61 extending transversely over the upper edge of the latch-lever 46. Depression of the key 53 is effective through the lever 57 to rock the latch lever 46 downward or in a clockwise direction about the pivot stud 47. This motion releases the lip 45 from the shoulder 44 on pawl 35 and permits a retracting motion of the element 46 under the influence of spring 48. This movement, in turn, releases the switch actuating leaf 51, and switch 52 thereupon closes the circuit through motor 24, starting the motor and so initiating the feeding operation. The disengagement of latchlever 46 from pawl 35 also releases the pawl 35 for engagement with the ratchet 29 whereby the rotary motion of the ratchet is transmitted through the disc 34, shaft 37 and gears 39 and 42 to the gear 17 on the pin wheel shaft I 16. Upon release of the key 53, or by virtue of a cutout 62 in the upper edge of the latch-lever 46 the latch-lever returns in a counter-clockwise direction under the urging of spring 48 again to place the lip 45 in the path of movement of the shoulder 44 on pawl 35. Thus, when the pawl has completed one full revolution the shoulder 44 thereon engages the lip 45 with the result that the pawl is disengaged from ratchet 29 and with the further result that the latch-lever 46 is drawn forwardly again to open switch 52. The clutch between the motor and the strip feeding devices thus is in effect disabled and at the same time operation of the motor is discontinued. Intermittent operation of the motor avoids excessive heating.

Clutch plate assemblies with two pawls 35 will provide half revolution or two stop operations. By varying the number of teeth in the gears 39 and 42, the number of pins in the pin wheel devices 14 and and by using either half or one revolution type clutch assemblies, power units can be furnished for feeding forms of any length from three and one-quarter inches to eleven inches inclusive.

All of the elements of the power source, transmission means and operating controls thus are mounted on the plate 22, the whole of the assembly comprising as noted a unitarily installed and replaceable power unit. For the mounting of such unit, the side frame 11 has a pair of longitudinally spaced apart inwardly projecting studs 63 and 64 as well as an inwardly projecting lug 65 having a dowel opening therethrough. At its one end the plate 22 has a slot 66 opening through the edge thereof to receive the stud 63. Near the other end of the plate 22 is an upwardly extending slot 67, also opening through the edge of the plate 22, to receive the stud 64. A stud 68 on the plate 22 faces the side frame 11 and has a threaded opening therethrough, the stud 68 being located to underlie the lug 65. In installing the power unit, the slot 66 is interengaged with the stud 63 and the plate 22 then is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, causing the slot 67 to advance on and receive the stud 64. This motion is continued until the gear 42 achieves a meshing engagement with the gear 17, and the parts are so constructed and arranged that at the same time the threaded opening in stud 68 achieves an aligned underlying relation to the dowel opening in lug 65. While the plate 22 is manually held in such adjusted position, a screw stud 69 is passed through the lug 65 and turned into threaded engagement with the stud 68 whereby to lock the plate 22 and the power unit of which it is a part in position within the register. Installation and replacement of the power unit in the register thus requires an adjustment of but a single screw and it will be apparent that such installation, and replacement can be done without the need of special skill, using only a screw driver as a tool.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its ad vantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and validscope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In an autographic register, including relatively stationary side frames, a transverse shaft journaled between said side frames, pin feeding devices on said shaft for advancing record strip material through the register, and a gear fast on said shaft, a mounting plate releasably connected in parallel, adjacent relation to one of said side frames intermediately thereof, power means for rotating said shaft mounted on said plate, said means including a gear meshing with the gear on said shaft, and means including a single releasable connecting element engaging with said one side frame and said mounting plate providing for unitary installation and removal of said plate and power means thereon.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said last named means includes interfitting portions on said one side frame and said plate, and said single releasable connecting element locking said portions in interfitting relation. 7

3. An autographic register, tionary side frames, a mounting plate in adjacent parallel relation to one of said frames and intermediate said frames, a pair of projecting studs on said one frame; slotted formations in said plate engageable with said studs, one of said formations being interengagcd with one of said studs by a bodily shifting motion of said plate and another one of said formations being interengaged with the other one of said studs by a pivotal motion of said plate about said one stud, a single means for including relatively stareleasably locking said plate in a selected position of pivotal adjustment, power means mounted on said plate, said power means terminating in a driving gear, and strip feeding mechanism supported between said side frames, said mechanism including a driven gear meshed with said driving gear by the said pivotal motion of said mounting plate.

4. An autographic register, including relatively stationary side frames; an integrated power unit between said side frames comprising a motor, transmission means extending from said motor and a plate providing a common mount for said motor and said transmission means, a detachable mounting for said plate on one of said side frames including a pivot and a lock element therefor; and a strip feeding device journalled in said side frames driven by said transmission means and automatically engaged with and disengaged from said transmission means by mounting and dismounting of said plate on said one frame.

5. An autographic register, including relatively stationary side frames, a pair of longitudinally spaced apart projecting studs on one of said side frames and a projecting lug on said side frame, said lug having an opening therethrough, a mounting plate intermediate said side frames having a slot in one end interengageable with one of said studs and another slot interengaged with the other one of said studs by swinging motion of said plate about the first said stud as a pivot, a projection on said plate having an opening aligned with the opening in said lug by the said swinging motion of ings being screw threaded, a screw stud passed through the other one of said openings and into said screw threaded opening to lock said plate to said one side frame in a selected position of adjustment, and power means for said register mounted on said plate and forming therewith a power unit releasable from installed position in the register by removal of said screw stud.

6. An autographic register according to claim 7, characterized in that said power means comprises a motor, transmission means extending from said motor, switching means for controlling said motor and a key for controlling said switching means, said key being slidably mounted on said plate and extending above said plate and above said side frames for actuation by the hand of the operator.

7. An autographic register, including relatively stationary side frames, strip feeding mechanism including a said plate, one of said openrotary shaft supported between said side frames, a driven gear fast on said shaft, a mounting plate in parallel intermediate relation to said side frames, means determining a releasable pivotal connection between said plate and one of said side frames, said mounting plate having a bracket portion at right angles thereto, a power unit fixed to said bracket portion, a second bracket fixed to said first mentioned bracket portion, a coupling means bearing in said second bracket and connected to said power unit,

transmission means mounted to said mounting plate, said transmission means being operatively connected to said coupling means and including a driving gear, said plate being selectively adjustable about said pivotal connection to selectively mesh said driving gear with said driven gear, operating means connected to said mounting plate, means for energizing said power unit on said mounting plate, said operating means being operatively connected to said energizing means whereby to provide for energization of said power unit and drive through said transmission means to said driven gear for advancing record strip material through the register.

8. In an autographic register, including relatively stationary side frames, a transverse shaft journalled between said side frames, pin feeding devices on said shaft for advancing record strip material through the register, and a gear fast on said shaft, a mounting plate releasably connected in parallel adjacent relation to one of said side frames, intermediately thereof, power means for rotating said shaft mounted on said plate, said power means including transmission means and means for energizing said transmission means to provide a drive of the gear on References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

